Los Angeles Angels athletic trainer Adam Nevala (obscured) attends to starting pitcher Andrew Heaney (28) as manager Mike Scioscia, second from right pitching coach Charles Nagy and home plate umpire Angel Hernandez (55) look on in the second inning of a Major League baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, Calif., on Tuesday, April 5, 2016.(Photo by Keith Birmingham/ Pasadena Star-News)

WASHINGTON >> Andrew Heaney is just one small step away from his long-anticipated return to the Angels’ rotation.

Heaney, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since April 2016 and had Tommy John surgery last July, rejoined the club on Tuesday and threw a bullpen session.

If he comes through that with no issues, the Angels will insert him back into the rotation, most likely starting on Friday or Saturday in Baltimore.

“He’s had just a seamless recovery and rehabilitation from this surgery,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Everything to this point has gone as well as you could ever expect. I think where he is right now, we’re very excited about it. We want to finish this off and hopefully we’ll get him back out there and see how many pitches he has in him as he gets into a major league game, which is obviously a little different than a minor league rehab game.”

Heaney threw 94 pitches in seven innings in his last outing at Triple-A, which was his sixth minor league start. He had a combined 2.60 ERA, including 3.12 in three Triple-A games.

The Angels don’t need to create a rotation spot for Heaney. Ever since they sent Jesse Chavez to the bullpen and optioned Troy Scribner, they have had only four starters on the active roster.

The Angels also don’t need to create a spot on the 40-man roster for him, because they opened one by outrighting minor league reliever Damien Magnifico.

They will need to take one player off the 25-man roster, most likely a reliever, before he pitches.

Limiting Bedrosian

Cam Bedrosian conceded that his groin still isn’t 100 percent, in terms of strength, since missing two months, supporting Scioscia’s preference to keep him from pitching in back-to-back games.

“It’s tough in-season to get it back to 100 percent,” Bedrosian said. “It’s in a good spot right now. I’m just trying to maintain to the end of the season. Once that happens, I’ll be able get in a good regimen and make sure it’s healthy.”

Bedrosian, who has pitched on back-to-back days just twice since coming off the disabled list two months ago, said he understands why he’s being used that way.

“With some of the injuries we’ve had, I can understand being cautious,” he said. “He’s the manager. He’s going to make the call. Health-wise, it helps a little bit. I don’t mind going two days in a row. But he’s being cautious. I think it’s the right play.”

Also

Garrett Richards, who has missed most of the season because of a biceps nerve irritation, is expected to start facing hitters later this week, Scioscia said. Richards has thrown three bullpen sessions so far. “We’re pretty comfortable he will pitch for us at some point (this season),” Scioscia said. …

Alex Meyer is still not throwing. He was shut down from throwing last week after having continued issues with his shoulder. …

Scioscia put pitcher Tyler Skaggs in the lineup in the No. 8 spot on Tuesday night, followed by Cliff Pennington. He said the primary reason was to add an extra hitter leading into No. 2 hitter Mike Trout when the lineup turns over. …

Albert Pujols got the start at first on Tuesday, but he is not expected to start on Wednesday. Kaleb Cowart is expected to start at second on Wednesday. Cowart and Pennington have split the last 12 games evenly. …

Hitting coach Dave Hansen was not with the team. Hansen was not feeling well on Sunday in Seattle, so he was taken to a local hospital for testing. He has since returned home to Southern California.

Jeff Fletcher has covered the Angels since 2013. Before that, he spent 11 years covering the Giants and A's and working as a national baseball writer. Jeff is a Hall of Fame voter. In 2015, he was elected chairman of the Los Angeles chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

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